Precision long reach hole punch

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for perforating sheet material is disclosed, wherein perforations are made by a hollow punch having a central bore therein, the lower end of the bore being visible from above so that an operator can precisely position the punch with respect to the material by sighting through the bore.

llnite [72] Inventor Hobart S. Adams 3,211,039 1 0/1965 Sheeti 83/520 1700 Delnncey St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 151,723 6/1874 Sigwalt, Jr. 83/589 X [2]] Appl. No. 887,447 1,127,914 2/1915 Nash .1 83/597 X [22] Filed Dec. 22,1969 1,473,089 11/1923 Faust..... 83/597 X [45] Patented Dec. 21,1971 1,665,805 4/1928 Walter 83/588 3,308,699 3/1967 lllingworth et al.. 83/140 X [54] PRECISION LONG REACH HOLE PUNCH 3,362,271 1/1968 Willis 83/588 X 3 Claims, 0 Drawing Figs. FOREIGN PATENTS 693,802 7/1940 Germany 83/597 [52] IILS. Cl 33/1410,

3 333 3 520 33/559 3 5 9 Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost 51 1 1m. c1 nznr 1 112 Awmey-$eideL Gonda & Goldhammer [50] ll ield 011 Search 83/140,

I43 ABSTRACT: Apparatus for perforating sheet material is dis- 5 References Ci closed, wherein perforations are made by a hollow punch hav- UNTED STATES PATENTS ing a central bore therein, the lower end of the bore being visible from above so that an operator can precisely position the 3,194,103 7/1965 Grlman 83/589 punch with respect the material] y g g through the bore.

PRECISION LONG REACH HOLE PUNCH This invention relates to a precision long reach hole punch. More particularly, this invention relates to a long reach hole punch wherein a perforating tool can be precisely located with respect to a workpiece by visual sighting.

A need has arisen in the data processing field for a manually operated punch capable of making a precisely placed perforation on sheet material such as paper, cardboard, sheet plastic or the like. For example, in the so-called punch correlation data storage and retrieval system, a data sheet is provided with indicia, such as letters or numbers, arranged in vertical columns and horizontal rows. Perforation of one indicium at a given column and row signifies a bit of information. The information-bearing indicia are usually closely spaced, for reasons of economy. In one well-known form used in punch correlation, adjacent indicia in a given column are spaced by only about one-eighth inches, and indicia in adjacent columns are spaced by about three-sixteenth inches. The need for accurate placement of the perforations is therefore apparent.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide apparatus for making a precisely positioned perforation in sheet rnaterial. Such an object is accomplished, in a presently preferred form of the invention, by apparatus including a fixed base capable of resting on a desk or table top, and a moveable punch associated with a base. The base is provided with die opening into which the punch may be telescopically received. Means bias the punch to the inoperative position, however, spaced from the die opening. The punch, in the preferred form, includes a centrally disposed bore, so that an operator may sight directly through the punch, to see the indicium at which the perforation is to be made.

I am aware of devices such as the one shown in US. Pat. No. 2,394,377, wherein a hollow punch is used. The device shown in that invention uses the hollow punch only as a receptacle for punched out portions, and hence, does not and cannot function in a manner similar to my apparatus, to permit visual sighting for precision placement of the punch.

Another object of this invention is to provide a long reach punch, capable of placing a perforation at any desired point on a sheet of material. For this purpose, the apparatus in accordance with this invention includes a punch arm pivoted at one of its ends and having a punch at the other, the punch being so spaced from the pivot as to provide a reach capable of placing a punched opening at any point on an 8 /2Xll inch workpiece. Such an arrangement, it has been found, permits optimum utilization of the above-mentioned sighting feature, and results in a far more useful device than conventional hole punches.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. I is a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the apparatus in FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. I.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, but showing the apparatus in another operative position.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view, partly broken away taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG 2.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is seen in FIG. 1 hole punch apparatus designated generally by the reference numeral It).

The apparatus 10 includes a base, designated generally by the reference numeral I2, and a punch arm, designated generally by the reference numeral 14, movably coupled to the base 12 in a manner to be described in detail later.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and II, the base I2, in the illustrated form of the invention, includes a panlike inner case I6, provided with spaced footpads I6 and 20 for contacting a supporting surface.

Associated with the inner case I6 is an outer case 22. The outer case 22 is provided with a depending radius portion 24, complimental with a radius portion 26 on the inner case I6. The dimensions of the inner case I6, it should be understood, are such that the inner case 116 can be :received in nested rela tion within the outer case 22.

The depending radius portion 24 and the portion 26 of the inner case interconnect the inner and outer cases I6, 22, at one end. The other end of the inner and outer cases I6 and 22 are held in interengagement by the snap action of complimental inwardly directed dimples 28, 30, 32 and 34 on the inner and outer cases I6, 22.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the inner case I6 is preferably provided with a tab 36 at one of is ends, such tab providing the means for applying leverage to the inner case I6 to break the snap-action interlock provided by the dimples 28-34. As is depicted by the dotted line portions in FIG. 4, the application of force to the tab 36 can cause rotation of the inner case I6 with respect to the outer case 22 about a pivot provided by the depending radius portion 24 of the outer case 22 and the complimental portion 26 of the inner case I6.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a pair of spaced, generally parallel ears 38 and 40 extend upwardly from the outer case 22. The cars 38 and 40 provide an anchorage point for the punch arm I4.

The punch arm 14, in the presently preferred form of the invention, includes an outer case 42 and an inner case 44 nestibly received in the outer case 42. Both the outer case 42 and the inner case 44 are pivotably coupled to each other and to the ears 38 and 40 by a pivot pin 46. Thus, as is seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ears 38 and 40 are received between the outer and inner cases 42, 44 and the pivot pin 46 passes successively through the outer case 42, the ear 38, the inner case 44, the car 40 and the opposite side of the outer case 42. Washers 48 may be provided between the cars 36 and 44) and the outer and inner cases 42, 44 to facilitate rotation about the pivot pin 46.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, a flat spring 50 is provided in engagement with the underside of the inner case 44 of the punch arm I4. The spring 50, it should be understood, exerts an upward force on the underside of the inner case 44, to bias the punch arm I4 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 through 4. Stops 52 and 54, perhaps best seen in FIG. 8, limit such movement of the punch arm I4 under the influence of the spring 50.

A compression spring 56 is received between the outer and inner cases 42 and 44, and tends to bias the cases apart, away from a nested relation. A guide pin Sill coupled to one of the cases 42, 44, and associated with a slot, such as the illustrated slot 60, in the other of the cases serves to limit relative movement of the outer and inner cases 42, 44.

A punch 62 is affixed to the outer case 42 of the punch arm I4, and extends downwardly through an opening 64 in the inner case 44.

The outer case 22 of the base I2 is provided with a die opening 63, juxtaposed to the lower end of the punch 62.

The mode of operation of the apparatus III in perforating material is believed apparent.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a workpiece to be perforated, such as the illustrated sheet 70, may be positioned between the punch arm I4 and base I2 in juxtaposition to the punch 62 and die opening 63. The application of a downward force on the end of the punch arm I4 remote from the pivot pin 46 results in an initial rotation of the entire punch arm I4 about the pivot pin 46, against the bias of the spring 50. Initially, a lower portion of the inner case 44 of the punch arm I4 contacts the workpiece 70, and in effect, clamps the workpiece securely to an upper surface of the outer case 22 of the base 12. Continued downward force on the punch arm 14 results in rotation of the outer case 42 with respect to the inner case 44, against the bias of the compression spring 56. Such rotation causes the punch 62 to pass through the workpiece 70 and into the die opening 68. The punched out portion of the workpiece 70, designated by the numeral 72, remains in the hollow chamber formed by the inner and outer cases 16 and 22 form the base 12.

Release of pressure on the punch arm 14 causes the various elements to revert to their positions shown in FIG. 3.

The portion of the punch arm 14 upon which force is applied to initiate a punching operation may be referred to for convenience as a handle portion. Such handle portion may be provided, if desired, with a transparent handle element 74.

An important aspect of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. Referring to such figure, and also to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the punch 62 is a hollow member, which includes a central bore 76. The punch 62 is coupled to the outer case 42 by a peripheral flange, weld or other means, such that the lower end of the bore 76 may be viewed from above.

Referring to H6. 5, it is apparent that a particular indicium 80 on the workpiece 70 is visible through the bore 76 of the punch 62. It is evident, therefore, that the punch 62 can be precisely located by visual sighting, so that operation of the apparatus removes only a particular desired part of a workpiece. The transparent handle element 74 does not interfere with viewing through the bore 76, and serves to prevent the v accumulation of foreign matter in such bore 76.

It is particularly desirable that the apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention provide a long reach, so as to permit punching at any point on a given workpiece. For example, it has been found that a spacing of approximately 7% inches from the centerline of the punch 62 to the ears 38 and 40 provides an apparatus capable of punching at any point on an 8% by 1 1 inch workpiece.

The present apparatus 10 provides a simple and effective hole punch apparatus, capable of precise placement by optical sighting, in a manner not heretofore known in the art.

run

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for perforating sheet material comprising an elongated base, said base having a die opening at one end thereof, an elongated punch arm, said punch arm being comprised of an elongated inner casing and an elongated outer casing, said outer casing being open along one side and said inner casing being nestingly received through said open side, one end of said inner casing being pivotally coupled to said outer casing for movement relative thereto, means for urging said outer casing and said inner casing apart, said inner casing and said outer casing being pivotally coupled to said base for movement relative thereto, means for urging said outer and inner casing away from said base, said inner casing having a vertically disposed opening at one end, a punch mounted on said outer casing and depending downwardly therefrom in alignment with said vertically disposed opening in said inner casing, said punch being an elongated member having an axial bore, said outer casing having an opening overlying said punch so that said axial bore is visible, a transparent handle member mounted on said outer casing in overlying relation to said axial bore, and said punch and said die are axially aligned so that indicia on the material to be punched may be precisely positioned by sighting through said transparent handle and said bore.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer casings are coupled to a common pivot for rotation with respect to each other and to said face.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base comprises a pairof nested inner and outer members, said die opening being disposed in an upper surface of one of said members, the other of said members having means thereon for contacting a support surface, and snap-action means removably interconnecting said members. 

1. Apparatus for perforating sheet material comprising an elongated base, said base having a die opening at one end thereof, an elongated punch arm, said punch arm being comprised of an elongated inner casing and an elongated Outer casing, said outer casing being open along one side and said inner casing being nestingly received through said open side, one end of said inner casing being pivotally coupled to said outer casing for movement relative thereto, means for urging said outer casing and said inner casing apart, said inner casing and said outer casing being pivotally coupled to said base for movement relative thereto, means for urging said outer and inner casing away from said base, said inner casing having a vertically disposed opening at one end, a punch mounted on said outer casing and depending downwardly therefrom in alignment with said vertically disposed opening in said inner casing, said punch being an elongated member having an axial bore, said outer casing having an opening overlying said punch so that said axial bore is visible, a transparent handle member mounted on said outer casing in overlying relation to said axial bore, and said punch and said die are axially aligned so that indicia on the material to be punched may be precisely positioned by sighting through said transparent handle and said bore.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer casings are coupled to a common pivot for rotation with respect to each other and to said face.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base comprises a pair of nested inner and outer members, said die opening being disposed in an upper surface of one of said members, the other of said members having means thereon for contacting a support surface, and snap-action means removably interconnecting said members. 